The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. V. The mutiny of Segovia. The Affairs of the Crown of Aragon. The Civil War in Na∣varre. The Factions of the Agramonteses and Biamonteses there. The Emperor Frederick marries Ellenor, Sister to the King of Portugal. The Moors twice de∣feated by the Christians.

SCarce was the Mutiny at Toledo quelled when another broke out at Segovia, whither the Prince was gone. Peter Portocarrero, who began to be great with the Prince, accused * 1.1 John Pacheco, Marques of Villena, of a Crime for which he ought to be apprehended. The Bishop of Cuenca, John de Silva the King's Standard-bearer, and the Marshal Pelayo de Ribera attested the same thing. They all advised the Prince to make him an Example, and it was resolved to secure him. It was not easy to do it by reason of his great Power, and also that he having notice of the Prince's Displeasure, made himself strong in a quarter of the City. Lest much Blood should be shed in forcing him, he was permitted to go away to Turuegano, a Town of his own. There, to gain Peter Portocarrero, he gave him to Wife Beatrix his Ba∣stard

Daughter, and with her the Town of Medellin in Estremadura near Guadiana. Thus his Enemies were weakened, and the Prince began to be appeased. The War with the Ara∣gonians continu'd, but not very hot. Bordalva, a Castle on the Frontiers of Aragon was taken and lost again. The King of Aragon was worse looked upon, as being the chief con∣triver of all the Troubles, and an Opportunity was now offered of being revenged on him. Many advised the Prince of Viana to take upon him the Crown and Government, since his Father had no Right to it, and this was the beginning of great Disorders. The King of Na∣varre was at Zar agoca, where the Coxtes of Aragon met in Summer. They limited the Power of the Deputy Justices of Aragon, and decreed that all Goods upon which there depended any Law-suit, should be deposited in the Hands of an Officer appointed for that purpose, that the Judges having such Goods in their Power might not delay deciding of Causes. The King of Aragon sent Embassadors to exhort the Princes of Spain to Peace, resolving if there were War to stand by his Brother and Subjects. In all other respects he seemed to have for∣got Spain, taken up with the Pleasures of Italy, having gained much Reputation, and enjoy∣ing Peace, the Fruit of his great Labours. The Grecian Emperor oppressed by the Turks, sent Embassadors to him to desire his assistance against them. The same did Demetrius Paleologus, * 1.2 Prince of Attica, and Peloponnesus, or Morea, Brother to the Emperor Constantine, offering him great Territories when the War was ended. Aranitus, Earl of Epirus, or Albania did the like. But above all we must not omit the Embassy sent by George Castriot, commonly cal∣led Scanderbeg, the Turks having given him that Name, signifying, The Lord Alexander. He was given up a Hostage to Amurat the Turk, but making his escape with a handful of Men held out for several Years in Epirus, and overthrew great Armies of Turks. But finding himself too weak alone to oppose that great Power, he laboured to get forreign Aids, and to this purpose made a League with the Venetians, implored the Favour of the Popes, and sent a solemn Embassy to the King of Aragon at the beginning of the Year 1451, offering if he relieved him with Men and Mony, that after the War was ended, that Province should * 1.3 pay the same Tribute to him, it used to pay to the Turk. The King sent some Supplies, but too small to oppose the vast Power of the Enemy. This Year was Fortunate to Spain, for the Birth of the Princess Elizabeth, for whom Heaven design'd the Crown of Castile, her Brothers dying. She was an incomparable Princess, and the Glory of Spain. She was born at Mndrigal on the 23d of April. Henry, Brother to the Admiral, who had been taken up with the other Noblemen three Years before, made his escape out of the Castle of Langa, near Santistevan de Gormaz. He had a Clew of Thred sent him, and laying his Cloaths in the Bed with the Night-cap, as if he had been there, went up to a Tower, where with the Thred he drew up a Rope that some of his Friends had ready below for him. The Rope was knotted, and so he let himself down. Mean while the Governour looking into his Room and seeing something in the Bed thought he slept and went away satisfyed. It Portugal, El∣lenor the King's Sister was contracted to the Emperor Frederick at Lisbon on the 9th of August. Soon after the Bride was sent by Sea to Pisa, and went thence to Siena in Italy.

The Nobility of Castile falling off from him, and the Prince of Viana revolting the King * 1.4 of Navarre's Interest declined both at home and abroad. All this was the Contrivance of D, Alvaro de Luna to secure himself, but it turned to his Ruin. By his advice there was a sort of an Accommodation made betwixt the Kings of Castile and Navarre. It was agreed that the Admiral and Earl of Castro, and other Noblemen should be pardoned and restored to their Estates, as also that D. Alonso, Son to the King of Navarre should again have the Ma∣stership of Calatrava. But this succeeded not, for Peter Giron who was in Possession made himself strong in the Town of Almagro resolving to stand upon his Guard. So D. Alonso was forc'd to return to Aragon as he came, which highly offended the King of Navarre. To add to his Trouble, Prince Henry was by the means of D. Alvaro entirely reconciled to his Father. But the most grievous thing of all was, that a tedious and bloody Civil War broke out in Navarre. That Nation had been long divided betwixt two Factions, the Bia∣monteses, and the Agramonteses, headed by the Earl of Lerin, and Marques of Cortes, and * 1.5 much Blood had been spilt. The Agramonteses were for the King, the Biamonteses inticed the Prince to take up Arms against his Father, who they said wrongfully with-held the Crown from him. In the first Place they made a League with Castile and France. The King of Castile promised to assist the Prince, provided he would declare and take up Arms. The King of France did the same, being then in a Condition to do it, having recovered all Guienne from the English. As soon as the Civil War broke out in Navarre, the Biamonteses seized several Towns and Cities, and among them Pamplona, the Metropolis of the Kingdom, Olite and Aivar. Yet the greatest part of the Kingdom and the Principality of Viana remained in the King's Power, he having in time put Garrisons and given the Government of Towns to Men of approved Fidelity. Prince Henry, and soon after his Father the King of Castile came and layed Siege to Estela, where the Queen of Navarre was. The King her Husband speeded from Zaragoça to her Relief, but bringing small Force with him, and the Agramonteses not being yet able to oppose the Enemies, he was forced to return to Zaragoça designing to raise Men in that Kingdom. As soon as he was gone the King and Prince of Castile as it the War were ended, tho they had done nothing, at the Request of Prince Charles returned to Burgos. His mild Nature was hurtful to Prince Charles, for his Father having raised an

Army, tho small in Number, yet composed of Old Soldiers lay'd Siege to Ayvar, a well for∣tify'd Town. His Son came to relieve the Besieged, and on the 3d of October both Armies drew out. Some Religious Persons laboured to reconcile the Father and Son. Prince Charles was willing to lay down Arms upon Condition all that had followed him should be pardoned; That the Principality of Viana, and half the Revenues of the Crown should be given to him, and that the King of Castile, without whom he had sworn he would make no Peace, should approve of these Articles. The King of Navarre allowed part and rejected part of the Conditions, whereupon the signal for Battle was given on both sides. At first the Biamonteses made their Enemies give way, but Roderick Rebolledo the King's Lord Cham∣berlain stood his Ground with such bravery, that he gave time for those who had not engaged to come up, and then they that fled before rallying endeavoured to blot out the shame of having turned their Backs. Thus the Prince's Forces being an undisciplined Multitude, not able to bear the Charge were put to Flight. The first that ran were the Horse of An∣daluzia. But a few were killed, many taken. The Prince himself being beset delivered his Sword and Gauntlet to his Brother Alonso. Authors do not write what Numbers fought, or what were killed, nor give any particular Account of the Battle. The Prince was sent Prisoner to Tafalla, and thence to Monroy. It is reported he was always suspicious of being Poisoned, and therefore when taken would not eat till his Brother had tasted. The King of Navarre after this Victory returned to Zaragoça with his Wife, who proved soon after with Child. Yet the Biamonteses were no way dismayed at this Loss, especially because Prince Henry came to their Assistance. Besides, the Nobility of Aragon favoured Prince Charles, and plotted how to release him. Navarre was in a miserable Condition, the Country plundered by Soldiers, and the Towns divided into Factions, which often fell to blows. In Andalu∣zia the Affairs of the Christians succeeded better. On the 9th of February 1452, a much less * 1.6 party of Christians routed 600 Moorish Horse, and 800 Foot, who wasted the Country * 1.7 about Arcos. D. John Ponce, Earl of Arcos, and Lord of Marchena commanded this Party. In March 600 Horse, and 1500 Foot of the Infidels were overthrown with great Slaughter, by 300 Christian Horse, and 2000 Foot near Lorca, in the Kingdom of Murcia, and a Booty of 40000 head of Cattle they had gathered, recovered. This Victory was obtained by Alon∣so Faxardo, Lieutenant of Murcia, Garcia Manrique his Son in Law, and James Ribera, Go∣vernour of the civil Affairs in the City Murcia. Thus the Moors were checked and began to be mutinous among themselves, grown weary of the Government of Mahomet the Lame. Nothing remarkable happen'd this Year in Spain, but that the Queen of Navarre on the 10th of March at a Town called Sos, on the Borders of Aragon and Navarre, was delivered of a Son called Ferdinand, to whom Heaven had alotted vast Kingdoms, and immortal Renown for his extraordinary Actions both in Peace and War. At Siena in Tuscany the Emperor Fre∣derick met the Lady Ellenor his Bride, who came thither by Sea from Portugal. There they rati∣fyed the Contract; at Rome they were marryed and crowned by the Pope, and at Naples the Marriage was consummated. The Feasts and publick Expressions of Joy were so great as no Man living had seen the like.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mutiny at Segovia.
• * 1.2

  Embassies to the K. of Aragon for aid a∣gainst the Turks.
• * 1.3

  1451.
• * 1.4

  Decay of the K. of Navarre's Power.
• * 1.5

  Two Fa∣ctions in Navarre.
• * 1.6

  1452.
• * 1.7

  Two de∣feats of the Moors.